Whilst some of WWE’s superstars battled hordes of undead revenants, elsewhere at Sunday May 16’s Backlash pay-per-view Bobby Lashley retained the WWE championship in his triple threat match against Braun Strowman and Drew McIntyre. He and manager MVP kicked off May 17’s Raw with a victory lap. Backed by a bevy of admirers, MVP sang Lashley’s praises, and the two issued an open challenge to any comers who wanted a piece of the All Mighty. Kofi Kingston would eventually answer, but not before former foes of Lashley.
The telltale bagpipes and drums of the Scottish Warrior soon sounded, and McIntyre declared himself. However, it was then that MVP introduced a caveat: McIntyre and Strowman, Lashley’s most latest challengers, would have to wait at the back of the line. This enraged McIntyre, who took a shot at Lashley. MVP hustled Lashley away from the scene.
Celtic Challengers Were Shooed Away
Throughout the night, Lashley’s open challenge was referenced, such as by Sheamus when he successfully defended the United States championship against Ricochet. He called out Lashley, and the WWE championship, as his next target. However, as MVP and Lashley once again assembled in the ring it was not Sheamus who met them there, answering their challenge, but Kofi Kingston, accompanied by his remaining comrade in the New Day, Xavier Woods.
As Kofi was revealed to be the challenger, the moment was underpinned with unspoken weight: in 2019, Kingston’s impressive run in events leading up to Wrestlemania 35, dubbed “KofiMania”, led to his celebrated win against Daniel Bryan for the WWE championship. An unlikely but beloved champion, Kingston had an admirable 180 day run as champion, and it appeared that he was going to take a shot at another run. Kingston certainly thought so, until MVP turned the tables on him, claiming that his and Lashley’s open challenge had never included the stipulation of a shot at the WWE championship.
There Would Be a Twist, Much to Kofi Kingston’s Chagrin
This enraged Kingston, who attacked Lashley. Lashley, characteristically unassailable, quickly overwhelmed Kingston, getting him down and pinning him. Kingston kicked out. Undeterred, Lashley maneuvered Kingston in his formidable grasp and lifted him into a vertical suplex. Despite hitting the mat hard, Kingston quickly recovered and delivered a series of dropkicks to Lashley. The third and final kick was followed up with a sliding strike that sent Lashley outside the ropes, and into the announce desk. While Lashley was overwhelmed, Kingston capitalized, taking to the air and leaping into Lashley in a splash. Woods, meanwhile, kept MVP busy-and perturbed-with insouciant trombone blares.
When the two reentered the ring, Lashley was fired up and ready to punish Kingston for his opening moves. Hitting Kingston with a hard elbow, he got him into the corner and trapped him there with a barrage of punches, and then grinding his foot into Kingston’s neck. Lashley continued his cruel assault, grasping Kingston by the hair and holding him at his mercy, neck against the second rope. After ramming Kingston’s midsection into the post, Lashley lifted him and delivered another vertical suplex, getting a cover on Kingston.
The Spirit of KofiMania Still Burns
At this point, Kofi Kingston rallied, displaying the tenacity and grit that made him a champion, and have served the New Day well in their storied career, as well. He fought out of Lashley’s grasp, back to his feet. Lashley grasped for Kingston’s midsection, struggling to catch him in a crushing hold, but Kingston resisted valiantly, and escaped to take refuge at the edge of the ropes. Lashley pursued, but Kingston stopped him with a hard chop. Though it was not, as he thought, for a shot at the WWE championship, Kingston was fighting hard.
He was able to counter another attack from Lashley into a DDT, but Lashley survived and paid him receipt in the form of several hard slams to the canvas, and another attempt to cover Kingston. He kicked out, but Lashley’s onslaught had halted his second wind.
The All Mighty Was Overcome
Lashley set the weakened Kingston on the post, no doubt planning to begin his last stand to overcome Kingston irrevocably. Woods, however, caught Lashley’s attention with his ever present trombone. Thanks to Woods, Kingston was able to rally and unleash a flying strike at Lashley. Both athletes now on the other side of the apron, Lashley lifted Kingston and drove him into the post. Lashley got a hold of Kingston, and Woods intervened again, pulling his tag partner out of the champion’s grasp. MVP also sought to get into the fray, raising his cane to strike Kofi Kingston.
He was stopped by Drew McIntyre, whose distraction gave Kingston enough time to roll Lashley through shoulders down for a cover, and win via pinfall. McIntyre and the New Day exited victorious. Although MVP and Lashley’s ruse kept the WWE championship safely in Lashley’s possession for one more night, two things were apparent: the desire to be champion has been reawakened in Kofi Kingston, and waiting at the back of the line doesn’t suit Drew McIntyre. With Kingston and McIntyre in the picture, Sheamus’ interest peaked, and Strowman waiting in the wings, its anyone’s guess who will take a shot at Lashley next.
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